Women’s Aid ad reframes domestic abuse as the 'ignored public emergency'

Women’s Aid has launched a campaign that equates the seriousness of domestic abuse to emergencies such as a fire or a car accident.

Created by the agency House 337, "The ignored emergency" highlights domestic abuse statistics, which reveal it is a bigger risk to women than fire or traffic accidents. 

The campaign features two 40-second films. They were both directed by Emma Brandershorst through The Corner Shop and created by Holly Fallows, Charlotte Watmough, Indi Morland and Caitlin Chakraborty.  

The first film, "Fire safety", starts by showing the protagonist in a smoke-filled room, trying to open the window. It takes the style of a classic public-safety educational video. 

Then there is a sudden loud bang on the door and a voiceover cuts in, saying: “If you’re a woman, you’re over twice as likely to be killed by your partner than by smoke or gas.”

The second film, "Car safety", follows the same format, showing a woman in a car crash with sirens going off in the background. The sound then cuts out and the location switches from the crash to a kitchen, with the woman lying on the floor. The voiceover says: “If you’re a woman, you’re over three times more likely to be killed by your partner than by not wearing your seatbelt.”

Both short films end with the message: “Domestic abuse is the emergency we are ignoring.”

Sarah Hill, chair of Women’s Aid, said: “Domestic abuse must be recognised as an emergency. We need to help society see it for what it truly is, which is why we’ve repurposed the familiar format of a public safety campaign to spotlight the horrifying statistics.” 

The campaign will be featured across social media, radio and through digital out-of-home displays, as well as supported by a group of key influencers. 

It will be displayed in major cities in the UK including London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Glasgow, Dundee, Southampton, and Manchester.

Branderhorst said: “As a female director, I feel a deep responsibility to use my voice. Partnering with Women’s Aid, we’ve created films that confront the harsh truth: women in our society are still not safe, a reality underscored by recent setbacks in women’s rights.”

Louise Canham, associate creative director at House 337, said: "We know the statistics are shocking. But as humans, we often feel a deeper connection when confronted with the harsh reality firsthand. When we compare it to something universally horrifying, like a fire or a car accident, the gravity of domestic violence against women becomes impossible to ignore.”